Democrats and the anti-Trump media are having a field day over President Trump’s order to kill Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in an airstrike on Thursday.
The airstrike was followed by the pro-Iran demonstrator’s attack earlier this week on the U.S. Embassy in Iraq which caused damage to outer parts of the embassy compound.
Protesters got as far as the reception area but were unable to get into the main building and according to the U.S. military, the embassy attack was in response to U.S. airstrikes in retaliation against the militia for killing an American contractor last week.
President Trump acted swiftly by sending Marines to protect the U.S. Embassy in Iraq.
The airstrike against Soleimani was also swift.
Fox News reports:
The Pentagon confirmed that Soleimani, the head of the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds force, was taken out in a U.S. strike in Iraq directed by President Trump.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo appeared on CNN and said the airstrike, “saved American lives” and that Soleimani was planning “imminent threats to American lives.”
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the airstrike ordered to kill top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani "saved American lives." Pompeo said earlier this morning the decision to eliminate Soleimani was in response to "imminent threats to American lives." https://t.co/S9VYrZNDv9 pic.twitter.com/RL2eEQfGfq
— CNN (@CNN) January 3, 2020
U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch (R-ID) issued a statement:
Qassem Suleimani was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Americans… As I have previously warned the Iranian government, they should not mistake our reasonable restraint in response to their previous attacks as weakness. Full statement on the death of Suleimani: pic.twitter.com/Sl7ZN7zVIo
— U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (@SenateForeign) January 3, 2020
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said the strike was “preemptive.”
We killed the most powerful man in Tehran short of the Ayatollah.
This was not an act of revenge for what he had done in the past.
This was a preemptive, defensive strike planned to take out the organizer of attacks yet to come.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) January 3, 2020
Democrats were highly critical of President Trump’s call to strike Soleimani.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy criticized President Trump for not seeking Congressional approval.
Speaker Pelosi says President Trump carried out the U.S. airstrike that killed a top Iranian commander in Iraq without the consultation of Congress. https://t.co/3FeHQykkJN
— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 3, 2020
Soleimani was an enemy of the United States. That’s not a question.
The question is this – as reports suggest, did America just assassinate, without any congressional authorization, the second most powerful person in Iran, knowingly setting off a potential massive regional war?
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) January 3, 2020
Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal demanded “a full explanation.”
Trump Admin owes a full explanation of airstrike reports—all the facts—to Congress&the American people. The present authorizations for use of military force in no way cover starting a possible new war. This step could bring the most consequential military confrontation in decades
— Richard Blumenthal (@SenBlumenthal) January 3, 2020
Not surprising is how the anti-Trump media weighed in on the airstrike and took aim at President Trump.
CNN host John Berman called the strike against Soleimani “murder” and an “assassination.”
Media Research Center’s Newsbusters provided a montage of outrage and criticism from CNN.
Newsbusters called MSNBC panelists “distraught” over the airstrike.
Despite the possible political consequences and current blowback by Democrats and the anti-Trump media, President Trump is showing leadership by acting swiftly against Soleimani.
Soleimani had just arrived in Iraq to cause more problems and was a threat to U.S. troops in the region.
By acting preemptively, President Trump is protecting our U.S. troops.